Does Your Brain Need a Covid Reset?

I’m hearing from a lot of people that the sameness of our days — working from home, reduced chances to socialize, etc. — has left them feeling mentally foggy lately. It’s not surprising. Our brains thrive on news experiences, and other than guessing which Amazon delivery person we’ll see today, there’s not a lot of novelty in our lives right now.

If you’re feeling in need of a mental reboot, here are some ideas:

Here are some suggestions on how to make that happen.

Take a class. Shortly after lockdown started, pop superstar Shakira took to social media to proclaim a recent personal victory: She earned a certificate in ancient philosophy from Penn. If there’s an area of study you’ve always been interested in but didn’t pursue it in college (maybe it wasn’t practical, or your parents steered you toward something more lucrative) now’s your chance! If you don’t want to officially go back to school, MasterClass or Great Courses are good options, and even Airbnb is getting in on the action with their Online Experiences, which offers classes in art, cooking, meditation, and just about everything else under the sun.

Analyze the news. The rundown from The Skimm is great, and you should always support your local paper (shout out to The Dallas Morning News!), but there’s an entire world out there – and a lot of different perspectives with which to view it. Seek out news from around the globe: The BBC, Al Jazeera and the South China Morning Post are just a few in a long list of reputable international media. Soon, you’ll see how reports from one side of the Earth might compare to or impact those on another. It’s a great exercise in critical thinking.

Help those in need. If you know a second language, offer translation services for micro-loan applicants. Are you a math whiz or natural grammarian? Nonprofit virtual tutoring centers are always looking for help. The point here is to interact with people who don’t share your experiences. By engaging with ideas and lifestyles that are different from yours, you’ll expand your own horizons and bring some positive energy into the world in the process.   

Have you been engaging in any brainwork during this time? Or, has simply living day-to-day been brainwork enough? (Which is completely valid.) The whole point of this reflection is to provide suggestions to help your brain operate on maximum efficiency – if adding the first three items to your to-do list stresses you out, don’t do it.

Stay strong, stay healthy and spread #OnlyJoy.